Qi Zhang, PhD – Department of Environmental Toxicology

Investigating the links between chemical exposures and toxicological responses for air pollutants using a novel aerosol mass spectrometry method

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is an important air pollutant associated with cardiovascular disease and other adverse health outcomes. PM can be composed of complex chemical compounds which vary by region and time of year.

The connection between the chemical properties of PM and negative health outcomes is still poorly understood. Consequently, there is a critical need for new analytical techniques that can provide rapid, sensitive, and simultaneous measurements of a wide range of toxic species and chemical classes in PM samples.

With support from her EHS Center pilot grant, Dr. Zhang is developing a novel technique to enable measurements of a wide range of compounds in both PM and biological samples to investigate the links between PM exposure and biological responses. Through this work, researchers will be able to identify both the sources and key chemical components of PM that contribute to cardiovascular and other diseases. Results from this work will provide much needed information for understanding the health risks associated with PM.